Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1887-12-30
A SPECTRAL STORY.
The Only Ghost yet Found by the Society
of Psycbical Research.
BosroN, Dec. 90.

for Psyphica Research has tried in vain
to discover one. Ii has gone so far as to
advertise in the newspapers, but without
result. People, it would seem, are not
disposed to publish any facts concerning
spooks which are likely to depreciate the
value of the property they own Not in
frequently, too, the said spooks are more
or less identified with family skeletons
which it is considered undesirable to drag
into the light, even for the qualification of
scientific curiosity. Any way, the society
has not had, up to the present time, a
single opportunity for investigating
gholt.
A short time ago, the special Committee
on Haunted Houses distributed by mail
large number of circulars, begging for in
formation regarding such "phantasms of
the dead" as the persons addressed might
perchance be acquainted with. The com
mittee-so this printed communication
announced-would gladly eXpend both
time and money in looking up really
Northumberland epectre. In the accu-
mutation of data relating to spooklcal
analysis cash was of no Importance what
ever. Therefore, any one who was so for
tunate as to possess a quasi-proprietorship
in an appartion would find it TO his adj
vantage-so the circular implied-to COM
municate with the secretary in Boston.
Nevertheless, in response to this appeal,
but one favorable answer was received.
It came from gentleman resident in
Bath, Me-, who addressed long letter on
the subject to DR.. O., a member of the
committee known to him by reputation.
The writer expressed his regret that the
distance from Boston would be likely to
forbid him the honor of visit from the
Psychical Soclety's representatives. 9th
erwise it would have given him great
pleasure to afford them an opportunity o
becoming acquainted with ghost which
he had had ia his own family for years.
The phantasm in question was that of his
wife's maiden graud-aunt-an old woman
who, in her life time, had devoted her at
tenton exclusively to interfering with
other peoples private affairs. Two years
before h. death, it seems, she had quar-
relied with some cousins to whose kindness
she was indebted for shelter, and had
promptly altered her will to their preju-
dice in favor of her niece in Bath. On the
strength t this beneficent act, she had
transferred herself, bag and baggage
without so much as asking for an invita-
tion-to the dom Gle of her relations by
marriage, who enjoyed very little peace
of mind during the remainder of the aged
SplnSuer'S existence beCduSe she WAS uOI
permitted to run the establishment &C
cordiug to her own notions, the household
was Kept in a perpetual broil. SO often
did she declare her intention to leave them
not one cent of her money that they were
agreeablv surprised to find themselves
named in her will as heirs to the whole of
her fortune, $4,000 in per cent bonds.
But the surprising part of the story, as
told by the gentleman of Bath, is yet to
come. The old lady had scarcely been
put out OF the way under ground when
series of remarkable phenomena were
exhibited in the house she had so recently
lived in. Only the day after the funeral
one of the children-a girl of siX-told her
mother with the utmost seriousness that
she had just seen aunty walk out of the
nursery into the playroom." Nothing was
thought of this speech until day or two
LATER when the little girls brother-three
years her senior-declared that he had
himself beheld his lamented relative on
two or three occasions since the burial, in
the act of slipping hastily from one apart
ment to another. Strangely enough,
neither child was the least bit frightened.
Both had spoken to the apparition, which,
upon being accosted, vanished with a
prompttude suggestive of a conjuring
trick. The adult mem Ders of the family
We're rather amused than otherwise by
these stories, which were attributed TO
those illusive fancies common to magma
tive youth, and Aunt Tabitha's spook''
quickly became a standing joke.
1t did not remain such long, however.
Less than ten days afterward the pater
famlias himself was going upstairs to
bed, with lamp in his hand, when he
distinctly saw a queer looking ShadoWy
figure leaning over the banister-rail from
above. 1t was dressed in some stuff re-
sembling calico, and bore very much
caricatured likeness to the late Miss Ia
bitha. But the shape was So.utterly absurd
lt.at e .al1. IL
laughter from the gentleman whose pas
sage to his sleeping room was thus uneX
pectedly interrupted. Whereupon, the
spectre uttered an audible squeak and
disappeared.
From this time on scarce "A hours elaps
ed without an appearance of the ghost
Every body saw it repeatedly. Regarded
from the spectral point OF view, 1t was de
cidedly unconventional. 1t was not at
tired in the fashionable graveyard COS
tune, nor was its makeup calculated Il
inspire alarm. In fact, its aspect was Sc
grotesquely commonplace-save for its un
substantial character-as to irresistiby
excite the rsbillties of the beholder
Even the SerVant-a sober minded old
woman with no superstitious regard fol
phantoms-Was not seriously frightened
by it, though somewhat startled at first
by the way it had of popping mp in unex-
pected places, Ii Ike a shadowy jack-in-the
box. This, indeed, was the inyariable
manner of its visitatons. 1t came not
seemingly, like any reputable spook, tC
reveal a hidden treasure or to expose 6
crime; but simply for the purpose, so fal
as any one might guess, of frightening
innocent people out of their wits. Fol
more than three years it kept this sort o.
thing up, until something happened
which the gentleman of Bath-atter tell
ing the story | have briefly quoted-goe'
on to describe, in his letter sent few
days ago to the distinguished member o
the haunted house committee in Boston
Il was unpacking some boxes in thu
attic" he says, when heard a sligh
noise behind me. | turned around quick
iy, just in time to see the head of tn,
family ghost'-as we called the shade o
our deceased Aunt Tabby-protrudeC
from an empty trunk which stood oper
near by 1t was decorated with its usua
fringe of Medusalike curl papers anC
were an exaggerated grin that was evi
IDENTIFY intended to be terrifying | wa!
not alarmed, however, having become &C
customed to the spectre's turning up il
odd times aud places. So | smiled in re